The cane in Young U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,466 uses a flashlight in the handle and xe2x80x9cTech 2000xe2x80x9d Neon Power supply which uses alkaline batteries. The xe2x80x9cNeonxe2x80x9d system (which requires 3000 volts) produces a low level of light at a high rate of energy use, and for that reason is normally used as ornamental features in vehicles, license plate frames, undercarriage light, etc.
The present invention uses a non-thermionic (e.g. no heated filaments) high-efficiency, high-frequency, square-wave alternating current fluorescent driver and a 4, 6, or 8-watt standard fluorescent tubexe2x80x94FT4, FT6, FT8. In different levels of darkness and environment, the use of a 6W or 4W is preferred.
The umbrella embodiment will work on the same principle of the xe2x80x9cspreader lightsxe2x80x9d on a sailboat. It makes the sail and boat visible but does not interfere with the operator""s night vision.
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ballastless, non-thermionic and starterless fluorescent cane and/or umbrella light which works on inducing oscillation on the gas contained in the tube at a frequency which is related to the type of gas to obtain maximum luminosity without the presence of a carrier, consumes little electrical energy (2.6 watts) and which is dimmable without flickering regardless of the level of luminosity and in which the light spectrum is constant.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cane and/or umbrella light which is low in cost and low in energy consumption.
The cane or umbrella light of the present invention incorporates a ballast-free, starter-free, non-thermionic conventional fluorescent lamp or tube driven by a high-frequency square wave driver circuit.
Another object of the invention is to provide a non-thermionic, ballast-free, fluorescent lighting system for canes and/or umbrellas.
According to the invention at least one gas discharge lighting lamp or tube (which may be constituted by UV-responsive phosphor-coated envelope confining a gaseous discharge medium at a predetermined pressure between a pair of electrodes) is mounted in cane shaft or umbrella shaft as a housing and non-thermionically driven by a high-frequency square wave power supply and switch in the handle portion. The square wave power supply incorporates a solid state switch which is operated to generate a substantially square wave alternating current wave at the lamp or tube electrodes to start and operate the lamp such that the voltage supplied to the electrodes reverses polarity more rapidly than the pattern of electron and ion density in the tube can shift so that electrons throughout the length of the tube are continually accelerated and will, through several cycles of said square wave, create free electrons and ions throughout the tube""s volume, in steady state operation and illuminate the fluorescent lighting lamp. The frequency of oscillation is preferably related to the type of gas to obtain maximum luminosity without the presence of a carrier. The current in the tube is minimal and no noticeable level of RFs are present, that is, there is substantially no radio interference.
The square wave driver circuit in the present invention provides a level of luminosity for the cane or umbrella which is a function of the voltage thereby making dimming of the fluorescent lamp possible without flickering (90% dimming) regardless of the level of luminosity. The band on the spectrum is constant and reflects the initial reaction to the oscillation.
According to one aspect, the invention provides a shaft lighting system for canes and umbrellas comprising, in combination a shaft having one or more openings formed in one or more walls thereof, a fluorescent gas discharge lamp means, a source of a high-frequency square-wave voltage having a pair of output terminals and substantially LC-free circuit connecting said high-frequency square-wave voltage to said fluorescent gas discharge means to non-thermionically excite and illuminate said fluorescent gas discharge lamp means, and thereby illuminate the area surrounding said shaft. The voltage is from about 2 volts to about 90 volts and the frequency is from about 75 kHz to about 4 MHz.
According to another aspect, the invention relates to a cane having a hollow shaft housing with one or more openings thereon, the cane having a lighting system including a fluorescent gas discharge lamp device mounted in said housing, a source of high-frequency, square-wave AC voltage having output terminals and a substantially LC-free circuit connecting said gas discharge lamp device to said output terminals to excite and illuminate sid fluorescent gas discharge lamp device to thereby illuminate said one or more openings.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an umbrella lighting system comprising, in combination a tubular umbrella shaft, a housing having one or more openings formed in one or more walls thereof, a light-producing gas discharge lamp, a source of a high-frequency square-wave voltage having a pair of output terminals and substantially LC-free circuit connecting said low-voltage, high-frequency square wave voltage to said gas discharge means to non-thermionically excite and illuminate said gas discharge lamp means, and thereby illuminate one or more openings. The voltage is from about 2 volts to about 90 volts and the frequency is from about 75 kHz to about 4 MHz. The umbrella has a flexible rain shield and deflector and spreader mechanism, and wherein said light emitted through said one or more openings illuminate said flexible rain shield and deflector from the interior thereof like the spreader lights on a sailboat.